Academic Standards Committee

The Academic Standards Committee (ASC) helps to ensure Kalamazoo College upholds the academic policies and procedures of the College as set forth in College catalogues and other college documents.

The Committee meets weekly to discuss petitions submitted by 4:00 PM on Mondays during the term.

Students may petition the Committee for exceptions to these policies and procedures. Examples of requests that are reviewed include:

  • Waivers of graduation requirements (e.g., units [maximum of .4 units], residency)
  • Approval of non-automatic course overloads
  • Late drop/add/withdrawal of courses
  • Other requests to waive a college academic policy or procedure

The Committee is comprised of 4 faculty members, the Dean of Students, and the Registrar. Additional faculty and administrators (including the Director of Advising and the Director of Financial Aid) are also consulted for advisory purposes.

Students petitioning the Committee need to complete the Academic Standards Petition Request and provide a detailed explanation of why they were unable to comply with the college policy or procedure and why they feel the Committee should approve the petition. Students may also submit any supporting documentation with the petition they deem necessary. This may include (but is not limited to):

  • Appropriate registration forms (drop/add, withdrawal, overload, etc.)
  • Letters sent directly to AcademicStandardsCommittee@kzoo.edu from
    • Faculty members*
    • Student’s advisor *
    • Counseling staff or health center staff*
  • *All correspondence from on-campus staff or faculty must be sent via their Kalamazoo College email account

In addition to the documentation provided by the student, the Committee will also review the student’s academic record and consult with the Dean of Students and the Director of Advising, as well as the student’s petitioning history in deciding whether to approve a petition. The Committee strongly recommends students review their petitions with their advisors prior to submission to determine the appropriateness of the petition and discuss alternatives if the petition is not approved.

All discussions of the Academic Standards Committee are confidential.